Bicycle



(No Model.)

S. WILSON.-

BICYCLE. No. 477,033. Patented June 14,1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STEPHEN WILSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-IIALF TO HARRY G. CONKLE, OF IVAYNE, PENNSYLVANIA.

BICYCLE SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 477,033, dated June 14, 1892. Application filed July '7, 1891. Serial No. 398,720. (No model) To wZZ whom it may concern: the sleeve the pivoted portion will jam against Be it known that I, STEPHEN WVILSON, a citithe rim and impart its motion to the circular zen of the United States, residing at Philadelbox, and thus to the wheel, while in the other phia, in the county of Philadelphia and State direction such portion will simply slide over 5 of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new the rim noiselessly and without appreciable and useful Improvements in Bicycles, of which friction.

the following is a specification. The details of myinvention are hereinafter My invention has relation to bicycles and fully described, and are shown, clearly, in the similar vehicles, and has for its object the accompanying drawings, wherein I0 provision of novel, simple, and efficient means Figure 1 is a front elevation, and Fig. 2 a for the propulsion of the same. vertical section, of my invention. Fig. 3 is a Heretofore vehicles of the character above side elevation of the driving-wheel of a bicymentioned have in the main been driven cle with my improvements applied thereto. through the employment of a sprocket-wheel Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a modification of I 5 and chain actuated through the medium of romy invention, and Fig. 5 is a sectional View tarycranksattachedrigidlytoacommonshaft; of a modified detail. also, such vehicles have been driven through In said drawings, A represents the metallic the medium of reciprocating levers having shell or box, provided with the central openleather straps secured to one of their-ends and ing a and the rim a, the latter having its in- 2o wound around spring-controlled drums, the ner surface conical or pyramidal in cross-seclatter communicating their motion to the drivtion. ing-wheel through the medium of pawls and B is the shaft or axle of the wheel to be ratchets. The disadvantages ofthese levers driven, which passes through the opening a I are that the straps break under extra strain and has loosely jo'urnaled thereon the rotary 2 5 after use for a time and the pawls and ratchhub or sleeve 1), said sleeve having secured ets are very noisy and productive of considthereto or integral therewith the radial arm erable friction. I), having its outer end forked for reception My invention contemplates the obviation of of the log 0 of the shoe 0, which shoe is longer these disadvantages; and it consists of a pair on one side of its pivotal point than on the 8c 30 of reciprocating levers connected, preferably, other.

through the medium of a spring-metal strap, 0 is a groove in the shoe 0, corresponding each with a rotary hub or sleeve loosely jourin shape to the conical rim and for engagenaled on the axle or shaft of the driving-wheel, ment therewith. Through the center of the said strap being normally coiled around and lug c and through the forked end of the arm 8 5 35 secured to said collar and after being distend- 1) passes the pin 0, upon which is pivoted ed by operation of the lever, and thereby rothe said shoe, the latter being eccentrically tating the sleeve in one direction, resuming pivoted or having its pivotal point considerits normally-coiled condition, causing the roably off its center. tation of such sleeve in the reverse direction b 'is a fiat spring secured in a kerf in the 40 and the return of the lever to its original po-' side of the arm b and bearing very lightly sition. against the top of the shoe 0, which spring Secured to the driving-wheel independently is only necessary Where the movement of the of the axle or shaft is a circular box or shell arm is above the horizontal plane of the axis having the inner surface of its rim perfectly thereof. Ordinarily, however, the weight of 45 smooth and preferably conical in cross-secthe shoe is sufficient to keep it in operative tion, in the center of which box is located the relation with the rim. rotary sleeve aforesaid, the latter being pro- (Z is a strap, which maybe of any character vided with a radial arm having an eccentriand may be secured to the sleeve Z) or secally-pivoted device with a conical groove cured, as shown, to an eye (1' in the arm I); or 50 therein for engagement with the rim, the efsuch strap may be Wound around the sleeve feet being that in one direction of rotation of before being secured, thus obtaining a more extended rotary movement of the lattersay, for instance, a complete revolution, or more or less. The outer end of said strap is secured to a pin (1 or otherwise to the inner end of the lever D, which lever is fulcrumed at e on the frame E. Obviously, if the lever D be depressed at its outer end the sleeve 11 will be rotated through the draft on the strap d and the arm b swung upwardly toward the left and in the direction of the longer and heavier side ofthe shoe 0, causing the latter to instantlyjam on or grasp the rim a, (which jamming is facilitated by the great amount of bearing-surface afforded by the conical rim and groove withoutincreasing the width thereof,) thus communicating the motion to the shell or box A and to the wheel to which it is attached,which wheel is free to rotate independently of the arm under the impulse imparted thereby, the momentum serving to keep the wheel going without decreasing its speed until the shoe operates again, so that the rotation of the wheel is regular.

The return of the arm I) to its normal position may be accomplished in various ways such, for'example, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings. In the first-mentioned figure the sleeve 1) has a recess b formed therein, within which is located a coiled spring I), which spring is secured to said sleeve at one end and at the other end to the shaft 13; or, instead of this, a coiled spring-strap f may be wound around the sleeve and secured thereto at its inner end. The outer end of this springstrap is secured to the inner end of the lever D, so that after the lever is actuated, causing the uncoilin g of the spring-strap and the rotation of the sleeve, and pressure is released from said lever the coiling of the spring and its natural return to its normal condition will cause the rotation of said sleeve in the reverse direction and the return of the arm I) and the lever D to their original positions.

In Fig. 3 the shellAis secured to the spokes of the Wheel G, forming practically the hub thereof, and the lever H is shaped after the usual pattern for treadle-levers, the same being pivoted at h on the bicycle-frame h and having thereon the pedal 7Z2. In practice there is of course one of each such shell and lever, with their appurtenances, on each side of the wheel, such levers being operated alternately and imparting a continuous movement to the wheel Gr through the medium of the respect-' ive shells.

In lieu of the arm I), with the shoe 0 thereon, an arm K, hinged at or near its center on the pin it, may be employed, such arm having itsouter section forked for reception of a roller 70 the latter having therein a conical peripheral groove 70 for engagement with the rim or, the sleeve 1) in this event having integral .therewith an externallythreaded boss I) with a central angular socket therein, such socket receiving an angular extension 70 of the inner section 70 of the arm K, such angular extension and socket preventing the arm last mentioned from turning, said arm having its outer section at an angle relatively with its inner section for attaining the desired jamming of the roller against the conical rim. The inner section may also, if desired, have a spring 10 secured thereto and bearing against the outer section for keeping the roller in operative relation with the rim 0'. The nuts Z Z, the latter be ing a jam-nut, are provided for the purpose of taking up any lost motion due to wear on the roller, the nut Z bearing against the shoulder k of the inner arm-section, and when screwed outwardly, forces the arm K in the same direction and the roller k into close relation with the rim.

WVhatI claim as my invention is as follows:

1. The combination of a circular shell provided with a rim, a rotary arm in said shell, a friction device carried by said arm and engaging with said rim in one direction of rota-.

tion of the arm, a spring for returning the latter to its initial position, a reciprocating lever, and a connection intermediate and secured to the latter and the arm, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of a circular shell provided with a rim having a conical inner face, a rotary arm in said shell, a friction device carried by said arm and having therein a conical groove, the latter and the groove coming into engagement in one direction of rotation of the arm, a spring for returning the latter to its initial position, a reciprocating lever, and a connection intermediate and secured to the latter and the arm, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination of a circular shell provided with a rim, a rotary arm in said shell, a friction device carried by said arm and engaging with said rim in one direction of rotation of the arm, a reciprocating lever, and a spring-strap coiled around and secured to the hub of the arm and to said lever, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination of a circular shell provided with a rim having a conical inner face, a rotary arm in said shell, a friction device carried by said arm and having therein a conical groove, said groove and rim coming into engagement in one direction of rotation of the arm, a reciprocating lever, and a springstrap coiled around and secured to the hub of the arm and to said lever, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination of a circular shell provided with a rim having a conicalinner face, a rotary arm in said shell, a friction device .carried by said arm, having therein aconical groove, said groove and rim coming into engagement in one direction of rotation of the arm, means for returning the latter to its initial position, and a spring for keeping said friction device in operative relation with the arm, substantially as shown and described.

6. The combination of a circular shell provided with a rim having a conical inner face,

a rotary arm in said shell, a friction device carried bysaid arm and having therein a conical groove, said rim and groove coming into engagement in one direction of rotation of the arm, areciprocating lever, a spring-strap coiled around and secured to the hub of the arm and to said lever, and a spring for keeping said friction device inoperative relation with the rim, substantially as shown and described.

7. The combination of a circular shell provided With a rim, a rigid rotary arm in said shell, and a pivoted friction device carried by said arm, havingits pivotal point intermediate its axis and rear end, said device being thereby adapted for frictional engagement with said rim upon the forward swing of the arm, substantially as shown and described.

8. The combination of a circular shell provided with a rim, a rigid rotary arm in said shell, a pivoted friction device carried by said arm, having its pivotal point intermediate its axis and rear end, said device being thereby adapted for frictional engagement with said rim upon the forward swing of the arm, a reciprocating lever, and a spring-strap coiled around and secured to the hub of the arm and to said lever, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 30 my hand this 2d day of July, A. D. 1891 

